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He said the ouster of the “world’s worst autocratic government” amid a mass upsurge added extra significance to the celebration this year.

Muhammad Yunus celebrates end of Sheikh Hasina’s ‘autocratic government’

He said the ouster of the &ldquo;world&rsquo;s worst autocratic government&rdquo; amid a mass upsurge added extra significance to the celebration this year.

Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus led Bangladesh Monday in marking the 54th Victory Day, his speech making no mention of founding leader Mujibur Rahman while calling deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina&rsquo;s administration the &ldquo;world&rsquo;s worst autocratic government&rdquo;.
&ldquo;Bijoy Dibosh&rdquo; commemorates the Pakistan military&rsquo;s surrender to Indian forces and the liberation of Bangladesh in 1971. &lsquo;Bangabandhu&rsquo; Mujibur Rahman is seen as the independence movement&rsquo;s iconic figure. His daughter Sheikh Hasina fled to India on August 5, after massive student-led protests against her government. Nobel laureate Yunus then took over as head of an interim government.
In his televised address to the nation, Yunus indicated that elections might be held by early 2026.
&ldquo;Broadly speaking, the election can be scheduled between the end of 2025 and the first half of 2026,&rdquo; he said.
The country could not build on its achievements because of its faults and, of late, a &ldquo;monstrous autocratic government&rdquo; had grabbed power, he said in an apparent reference to Hasina&rsquo;s Awami League government. He said the ouster of the &ldquo;world&rsquo;s worst autocratic government&rdquo; amid a mass upsurge added extra significance to the celebration this year.
Yunus and Bangladesh President Mohammed Shahabuddin separately paid tributes to Liberation War martyrs at the National Memorial on the outskirts of the capital.
&ldquo;I recall the millions of martyrs including numerous children and juveniles, youths&rsquo; and the elderly people&rsquo;s sacrifices that made possible the achievement of our independence,&rdquo; he said.
His speech, however, made no mention of the political leadership in 1971 and of Mujibur Rahman &ndash;- a sharp departure from previous Victory Day addresses.
Critics accuse his interim government of trying to erase Mujibur Rahman&rsquo;s legacy. The authorities have earlier announced a decision to phase out the currency notes currently in circulation. The new ones will not carry Rahman&rsquo;s image.
On Monday, Army bugles played the Last Post, commemorating those killed during the 1971 War.
East Timor President Jose Ramos-Horta accompanied Yunus at the celebrations.
Deviating from tradition, Bangladesh did not stage a Victory Day Parade in the capital.
&ldquo;The army is currently engaged in activities across the country, and organising the parade requires preparation, which wasn&rsquo;t feasible this year,&rdquo; Liberation War Affairs Adviser Farook-e-Azam told the Daily Star newspaper.
But he said the celebration would be inclusive for all with &lsquo;Victory Fairs&rsquo; across the country featuring art and craft exhibits and agricultural product displays, and showcasing domestic goods.
He said schools were hosting their events as part of the festivities and cultural programmes would include the participation of children, women and men, making the celebration inclusive for all.
&ldquo;The shift in the celebration format aims to bring more active public involvement and create a festive atmosphere in every part of the country,&rdquo; Azam said.
The liberation movement began when the West Pakistan leadership refused to hand over power to the Awami League in line with the 1970 election results. India backed Bengali guerrillas and dealt with a mass migration of people from Bangladesh.
Eight Indian military veterans of the Liberation War travelled to Dhaka this year to mark Victory Day. &nbsp;Similarly, eight Bangladesh veterans were in Kolkata to join the Vijay Diwas celebrations.
In his speech, Yunus indicated that elections would be held in 2025 or early 2026 after updating the voters&rsquo; list.
&ldquo;From now on, the responsibility has been entrusted to them to start the process of forming the future government. They have started their preparations. They have a lot of work to do,&rdquo; he told a local news agency, referring to the Election Reforms Commission.
&ldquo;We have to make sure that the names of all those who have become eligible to vote in the last 15 years are included in the voters&rsquo; list. This is a big task,&rdquo; he said.
He said after the student uprising there is no room for making any mistakes. Many young people who were deprived of this right in the past will vote for the first time, he added.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Editorji News Desk and is published from a syndicated feed.)

During off-the-cuff remarks, the pope relayed his experience attending a festival in northern Argentina before his pontificate where he witnessed the importance of popular piety for the faithful “that seeks a healthy complicity.”

Pope Francis’ makes 1st papal visit to France’s Corsica awash in expressions of popular piety

During off-the-cuff remarks, the pope relayed his experience attending a festival in northern Argentina before his pontificate where he witnessed the importance of popular piety for the faithful &ldquo;that seeks a healthy complicity.&rdquo;

Pope Francis on the first papal visit ever to the French island of Corsica on Sunday called for a dynamic form of laicism, promoting the kind of popular piety that distinguishes the Mediterranean island from secular France as a bridge between religious and civic society.
Speaking at the close of a Mediterranean conference on popular piety, Papa Francescu, as he is called in Corsican, described a concept of secularity &ldquo;that is not static and fixed, but evolving and dynamic,&rdquo; that can adapt to &ldquo;unforeseen situations&rdquo; and promote cooperation &ldquo;between civil and ecclesiastical authorities.&rdquo;
The pontiff said that expressions of popular piety, including processions, and the communal prayer of the Holy Rosary, &ldquo;can nurture constructive citizenship&rsquo; on the part of Christians. At the same time, he warned against such manifestations being seen only in terms of folklore, or even superstition.
During off-the-cuff remarks, the pope relayed his experience attending a festival in northern Argentina before his pontificate where he witnessed the importance of popular piety for the faithful &ldquo;that seeks a healthy complicity.&rdquo;
The visit to Corsica&rsquo;s capital Ajaccio, birthplace of Napoleon, is one of the briefest of his papacy beyond Italy&rsquo;s borders, just about nine hours on the ground, including a 40-minute visit with French President Emmanuel Macron.
Francis was joined on the dais by the bishop of Ajaccio, Cardinal Francois-Xavier Bustillo, who organized the conference that brought together some 400 participants from Spain, Sicily, Sardinia and southern France. The two-day meeting examined expressions of faith that often occur outside formal liturgies, such as processions and pilgrimages.
Often specific to the places where they are practised, popular piety in Corsica includes the cult of the Virgin Mary, known locally as the &ldquo;Maddunuccia,&rdquo; which protected the island from the plague in 1656 when it was still under Genoa.
Corsica stands out from the rest of secularized France as a particularly devout region, with 92 confraternities, or lay associations dedicated to works of charity or piety, with over 4,000 members.
&ldquo;It means that there is a beautiful, mature, adult and responsible collaboration between civil authorities, mayors, deputies, senators, officials and religious authorities,&rsquo; Ajaccio Cardinal Fran&ccedil;ois-Xavier Bustillo told The Associated Press ahead of the visit. &ldquo;There is no hostility between the two. And that is a very positive aspect because in Corsica there is no ideological hostility.&rdquo;
The visit was awash in signs of popular piety. The pope was greeted by children in traditional garb and was continually serenaded by bands, choruses and singing troupes that are central to Corsican culture from the airport, to the motorcade route, convention centre and cathedral. Thousands stood along the roadside to greet the pontiff and more waved from windows.
Ren&egrave; Colombani travelled with 2,000 others by ship from northern Corsica to Ajaccio, on the western coast, to see the pope. &ldquo;It is an event that we will not see again in several years. It may be the only time that the pope will come to Corsica. And since we wanted to be a part of it, we have come a long way. Colombani said.
The island, which Genoa ceded to France in 1768, is located closer to the Italian mainland than France.
From the conference, the pope travelled to the 17th-century cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta to meet with clergy, stopping along the way at the statue of the Maddunuccia.
Francis will later celebrate Mass at the Place d&rsquo;Austerlitz park, where it is said Napoleon played as a child. Around 7,000 faithful are expected. He will meet privately with Macron at the airport before departing for the 50-minute flight back to Rome.
They are expected to talk about the world&rsquo;s crisis, including wars in the Middle East and Ukraine, and environment and climate-related issues, Macron&rsquo;s office said.
The pontiff pointedly did not make the trip to Paris earlier this month for the pomp surrounding the reopening of the Notre Dame Cathedral following the devastating 2019 fire. The visit to Corsica seems far more suited to Francis&rsquo; priorities than a grand cathedral reopening, emphasizing the &ldquo;church of the peripheries.&rdquo;
It is Francis&rsquo; third trip to France, each time avoiding Paris and the protocols that a state visit entails. He visited the port of Marseille in 2023, on an overnight visit to participate in an annual summit of Mediterranean bishops, and went to Strasbourg in 2014 to address the European Parliament and Council of Europe.
Corsica is home to more than 340,000 people and has been part of France since 1768. But the island has also seen pro-independence violence and has an influential nationalist movement, and last year Macron proposed granting it limited autonomy.

Yoon’s powers have been suspended until the court decides whether to remove him from office or reinstate him. If Yoon is dismissed, a national election to choose his successor must be held within 60 days.

South Korean leaders seek calm after Yoon Suk Yeol is impeached

Yoon&rsquo;s powers have been suspended until the court decides whether to remove him from office or reinstate him. If Yoon is dismissed, a national election to choose his successor must be held within 60 days.

South Korea&rsquo;s opposition leader offered Sunday to work with the government to ease the political tumult as officials sought to reassure allies and markets, a day after the opposition-controlled parliament voted to impeach conservative President Yoon Suk Yeol over a short-lived attempt to impose martial law.
Liberal Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myung, whose party holds a majority in the National Assembly, urged the Constitutional Court to rule swiftly on Yoon&rsquo;s impeachment and proposed a special council for policy cooperation between the government and parliament.
Yoon&rsquo;s powers have been suspended until the court decides whether to remove him from office or reinstate him. If Yoon is dismissed, a national election to choose his successor must be held within 60 days.
Lee, who has led a fierce political offensive against Yoon&rsquo;s embattled government, is seen as the frontrunner to replace him. He lost the 2022 presidential election to Yoon by a razor-thin margin.
He told a televised news conference that a swift court ruling would be the only way to &ldquo;minimise national confusion and the suffering of people.&rdquo;
The court will meet to discuss the case Monday and has up to 180 days to rule. But observers say that a court ruling could come faster. In the case of parliamentary impeachments of past presidents &mdash; Roh Moo-hyun in 2004 and Park Geun-hye in 2016 &mdash; the court spent 63 days and 91 days respectively before determining to reinstate Roh and dismiss Park.
Lee also proposed a national council where the government and the National Assembly would work together to stabilise state affairs and said his party won&rsquo;t seek to impeach Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, a Yoon appointee who&rsquo;s now serving as acting president.
&ldquo;The Democratic Party will actively cooperate with all parties to stabilise state affairs and restore international trust,&rdquo; Lee said. &ldquo;The National Assembly and government will work together to quickly resolve the crisis that has swept across the Republic of Korea.&rdquo;
It&rsquo;s unclear if Lee&rsquo;s proposed council will be realised.
In a meeting with the parliament speaker, who touched upon Lee&rsquo;s idea, Han said he would closely cooperate and communicate with the National Assembly but didn&rsquo;t specifically say whether the government intends to join the council. Kweon Seong-dong, floor leader of the ruling People Power Party, separately criticised Lee&rsquo;s proposal, saying that it&rsquo;s &ldquo;not right&rdquo; for the opposition party to act like the ruling party.
Kweon, a Yoon loyalist, said that his party will use existing PPP-government dialogue channels &ldquo;to continue to assume responsibility as the governing party until the end of President Yoon&rsquo;s term.&rdquo;
The Democratic Party has already used its parliamentary majority to impeach the justice minister and the chief of the national police over the martial law decree and had previously said it was also considering impeaching the prime minister.
Upon assuming his role as acting leader, Han ordered the military to bolster its security posture to prevent North Korea from launching provocations. He also asked the foreign minister to inform other countries that South Korea&rsquo;s major external policies will remain unchanged, and the finance minister to work to minimise potential negative impacts on the economy from the political turmoil.
On Sunday, Han had a phone call with US President Joe Biden, discussing the political situation in South Korea and regional security challenges including North Korea&rsquo;s nuclear programme.
Biden expressed his appreciation for the resiliency of democracy in South Korea and reaffirmed &ldquo;the ironclad commitment&rdquo; of the United States, according to both governments.
Yoon&rsquo;s December 3 imposition of martial law, the first of its kind in more than four decades, lasted only six hours but has caused massive political tumult, halted diplomatic activities and rattled financial markets. Yoon was forced to lift his decree after parliament unanimously voted to overturn it. Yoon sent hundreds of troops and police officers to the parliament in an effort to stop the vote, but they withdrew after the parliament rejected Yoon&rsquo;s decree. No major violence occurred.
Opposition parties have accused Yoon of rebellion, saying a president in South Korea is allowed to declare martial law only during wartime or similar emergencies and would have no right to suspend parliament&rsquo;s operations even in those cases.
Yoon has rejected the charges and vowed to &ldquo;fight to the end.&rdquo; He said the deployment of troops to parliament was aimed at issuing a warning to the Democratic Party, which he called an &ldquo;anti-state force&rdquo; that abused its control of parliament by holding up the government&rsquo;s budget bill for next year and repeatedly pushing to impeach top officials.
Law enforcement institutions are investigating Yoon and others involved in the martial law case over possible rebellion and other allegations. They&rsquo;ve arrested Yoon&rsquo;s defence minister and police chief and two other high-level figures.
Yoon has immunity from most criminal prosecution as president, but that doesn&rsquo;t extend to allegations of rebellion or treason. He&rsquo;s been banned from leaving South Korea, but observers doubt that authorities will detain him because of the potential for clashes with his presidential security service.
South Korean media reported that prosecutors asked Yoon to appear at a prosecution office for questioning on Sunday but he refused to do so. The reports said prosecutors plan to ask him to appear again. Repeated calls to a prosecutors&rsquo; office in Seoul were unanswered.
Lee called for authorities to speed up their probes and said that an independent investigation by a special prosecutor should be launched as soon as possible. Last week, the National Assembly passed a law calling for such an investigation. (Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Editorji News Desk and is published from a syndicated feed.)

The Indian Embassy personnel in Damascus accompanied them to the border, after which our mission in Lebanon received them and facilitated their immigration, he said.

Indian nationals returning from Syria recall the 'horror'

The Indian Embassy personnel in Damascus accompanied them to the border, after which our mission in Lebanon received them and facilitated their immigration, he said.

A batch of Indian nationals, who returned to their homeland on Saturday after being evacuated from crisis-hit Syria, recalled the panic situation they faced in that country but praised the Indian Embassy there for being in "constant touch" with them.
Some of the returnees, soon after landing at the Delhi airport late evening, shared with the media their experiences of the last week. Sunil Dutt, a native of Chandigarh, and a mechanical engineer, alleged that there were some "anti-social elements" too in the streets who were also "looting stuff". It was a very bad situation and sights of fire and sounds of bombarding made it worse, he said.
However, the Indian Embassy was in "constant touch with us" and its personnel" asked us to be calm, not open doors" to ensure safety, Dutt told reporters at Delhi airport.
India has evacuated from Syria all its nationals who wished to return home after rebel forces overthrew President Bashar Assad's authoritarian government in the Arab nation.
The Syrian government collapsed on Sunday as the rebels seized control of the capital Damascus after capturing several other prominent cities and towns.
"We have evacuated all Indian nationals in Syria who wished to return home following recent developments in that country. So far, 77 Indian nationals from Syria have been evacuated," Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said on Friday during his weekly briefing.
The Indian Embassy personnel in Damascus accompanied them to the border, after which our mission in Lebanon received them and facilitated their immigration, he said.
Sachit Kapoor, a resident of Greater Noida, was also among the Indians who arrived in Delhi on Saturday.
"We were in Syria for nearly seven months. The situation worsened on December 7. We were shifted to Damascus city and then we saw fire and bombarding all around. It was a panic situation. We were a team of 11 at a luxury hotel. The situation got worse. People were running amok in the streets, some looting also," he said.
Because of the Indian Embassy in Syria, "we were shifted to Lebanon very smoothly and we faced no issues", Kapoor recalled.
The electrical engineer said in Lebanon too, "our lodging and food facility was very good".
He thanked the Ministry of External Affairs for the assistance rendered to the affected Indians, who wish to return to their home country.
Ratan Lal, another Indian national who arrived at the Delhi airport on Saturday, said: "I have been in Syria for the last five years."
When the situation got worse, "we were called to Damascus and there lodged at a hotel. And, then visa was given, and then we went to the airport for the onward journey," he recalled.
Lal said the situation was very bad and added that his family members told him to return somehow.
Chetan Lal, another returnee who hails from the Gurgaon district of Haryana, said that he has been working in Syria for the last 10 years in a glass bottle-making company.
"For three days, we were lodged at Damascus. The Lebanese and Syrian Embassy also cooperated with us a lot in aiding us in the return journey," he said.
The Indian Embassy in Syria continues to function, Jaiswal said on Friday.
Earlier on Monday, India called for a peaceful and inclusive Syrian-led political process to bring stability to that country. (Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Editorji News Desk and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Yunus said he has repeatedly appealed to all to hold the polls after completing all the major reforms.

Bangladesh may hold next election in late 2025 or first half of 2026, says Chief Adviser Yunus

Yunus said he has repeatedly appealed to all to hold the polls after completing all the major reforms.

Bangladesh&rsquo;s Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus on Monday said the next general election in the country could take place by the end of 2025 or the first half of 2026.
He, however, said the timing of the election will largely depend upon the political consensus and the extent of the reforms that must be carried out before it.
&ldquo;Broadly speaking, the election can be scheduled between the end of 2025 and the first half of 2026,&rdquo; he said in a televised speech to the nation on Vijay Diwas. Vijay Diwas commemorates the Pakistan military&rsquo;s surrender to Indian forces. India&rsquo;s historic victory led to the liberation of Bangladesh.
Yunus said he has repeatedly appealed to all to hold the polls after completing all the major reforms.
&ldquo;However, if, due to political consensus, we have to hold the election based on a flawless preparation of the voter list with minor reforms, then it may be possible to hold the elections by the end of 2025,&rdquo; United News of Bangladesh quoted Yunus as saying.
&ldquo;And if we add to this the expected level of reforms in the electoral process and in light of the recommendations of the Election Reforms Commission and based on the national consensus, then it may take at least another six months,&rdquo; said Yunus.
Yunus, who heads the caretaker government installed after the ouster of Sheikh Hasina&rsquo;s government on August 5 following a student-led uprising, highlighted the extensive work required to update the voter list, a critical step in the election process.
&ldquo;From now on, the responsibility has been entrusted to them to start the process of forming the future government. They have started their preparations. They have a lot of work to do,&rdquo; he said.
Yunus said no one has had the opportunity to verify the voters&rsquo; list.
&ldquo;We have to make sure that the names of all those who have become eligible to vote in the last 15 years are included in the voters&rsquo; list. This is a big task,&rdquo; he said.
After the student uprising, there is no room for making any mistake as after a long time, many young people will vote for the first time, he said, adding that in the past, they were deprived of that right and joy. (Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Editorji News Desk and is published from a syndicated feed.)

In a recent interview with the New York Times, Balaji expressed concerns about the potential harm caused by OpenAI's technology to businesses and the internet ecosystem. 

OpenAI whistleblower, Suchir Balaji, found dead in San Francisco

In a recent interview with New York Times, Balaji expressed concerns about the potential harm caused by OpenAI's technology to businesses and the internet ecosystem.

Suchir Balaji, a 26-year-old former employee of OpenAI, was found deceased in his San Francisco apartment on November 26th. Balaji, an Indian-origin computer scientist, was a vocal critic of OpenAI's business practices and had publicly accused the company of copyright infringement.
Balaji's death comes amidst a wave of lawsuits against OpenAI from authors, programmers, and journalists who claim the company illegally used their copyrighted work to train ChatGPT, its popular AI chatbot.&nbsp;
In a recent interview with the New York Times, Balaji expressed concerns about the potential harm caused by OpenAI's technology to businesses and the internet ecosystem. He had resigned from OpenAI, stating that he could no longer contribute to technologies he believed were more detrimental than beneficial to society.
Balaji's mother has requested privacy during this difficult time.&nbsp;
Key Points:
&bull; Former OpenAI Employee Passes Away: Suchir Balaji, a prominent critic of OpenAI's practices, was found dead in his San Francisco residence.
&bull; Copyright Concerns: Balaji had publicly accused OpenAI of copyright infringement in the development of ChatGPT.
&bull; Ethical Concerns: He expressed concerns about the potential negative impacts of OpenAI's technology on society and the internet.
&bull; Resignation from OpenAI: Balaji resigned from the company due to ethical disagreements with its direction.

The relic was first mentioned by Jerusalem pilgrims in the 5th century before being transferred to Constantinople in the 10th century. 

"Crown of Thorns" returns to Notre Dame cathedral for public veneration

The relic was first mentioned by Jerusalem pilgrims in the 5th century before being transferred to Constantinople in the 10th century.

An ancient relic that many Christians revere as Jesus Christ&rsquo;s &ldquo;Crown of Thorns&rdquo; is returning to Notre Dame, five years after it was saved from the flames of the cathedral&rsquo;s devastating 2019 fire.
The crown &mdash; a circular band of branches encased in a gilded golden tube &mdash; is being brought back to its historic home Friday. The ceremony will be presided over by the archbishop of Paris and attended by knights and dames of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulcher, marking a key moment in the cathedral&rsquo;s restoration journey.
The relic was first mentioned by Jerusalem pilgrims in the 5th century before being transferred to Constantinople in the 10th century. In 1239, it was acquired by King Louis IX of France, who brought it to Paris and housed it at Notre Dame before commissioning the Sainte-Chapelle for its safekeeping. It was later returned to Notre Dame.
During the fire that consumed much of Notre Dame on April 15, 2019, the Crown of Thorns was preserved in a sealed case alongside other relics. Firefighters&rsquo; quick actions ensured the survival of those treasures.
Starting Jan. 10, the Crown of Thorns will be displayed for public veneration every Friday until April 18, culminating on Good Friday. Afterwards, it will be shown on the first Friday of each month.

While campaigning for the presidency, Trump said he would swiftly end the war but has not detailed in public how he would do so.

Kremlin praises Trump's criticism of Ukrainian strikes deep into Russia

While campaigning for the presidency, Trump said he would swiftly end the war but has not detailed in public how he would do so.

The Kremlin on Friday praised U.S. President-elect Donald Trump for criticising Ukrainian missile strikes deep into Russian territory but said discussions about deploying European troops to keep a possible future peace in Ukraine were premature.
With Russia advancing at the fastest rate since the 2022 invasion, Trump and some European leaders have discussed how to end the war in Ukraine.
Trump criticised Ukraine's use of U.S.-supplied missiles for attacks deep into Russia in a Time magazine interview published on Thursday, saying it was "crazy" because it escalated the war. He said Washington should not have allowed it. &nbsp; "The statement itself completely coincides with our position," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters. He said Trump's remarks were in line with "our vision of the causes of escalation".
"It appeals to us," Peskov said. "It is obvious that Trump understands exactly what is escalating the situation." Russia has said the decision by U.S. President Joe Biden to let Ukraine strike deep into Russia with U.S.-made ATACMS ballistic missiles could trigger a world war, but some Western leaders suggest Russia has military ambitions, opening new tab beyond Ukraine. &nbsp; Kyiv says it should be able to strike at its enemy although some U.S. officials question whether the Ukrainian missile strikes can change the course of the war.
Russia said on Wednesday Ukraine had struck a military airfield on the Azov Sea with six U.S.-made ATACMS ballistic missiles.
After Ukraine struck Russia with ATACMS last month, Russia fired a new hypersonic ballistic missile known as "Oreshnik", or Hazel Tree, at Ukraine, and Putin said Russia reserved the right to hit U.S. and British military facilities. &nbsp; EUROPEAN TROOPS?
While campaigning for the presidency, Trump said he would swiftly end the war but has not detailed in public how he would do so.
Asked whether Trump's words gave the Kremlin greater hope for ending the war, Peskov cautioned that during his first term as U.S. president Trump imposed many sanctions on Russia.
"Let's not forget, sanctions were imposed against our country over 50 times, and there were many unfriendly manifestations towards our country," Peskov said. "This should not be forgotten, so do not get ahead of yourself." &nbsp;
The Kremlin said discussions by European powers about possibly deploying European troops to police any ceasefire were premature, but did not dismiss the idea outright.
"All this should be discussed during the negotiations," Peskov said of the European discussions. "We have repeatedly said that a truce in itself is not what we want: we need peace."
Peace, he said, would come after conditions set out by Russia were fulfilled and all Moscow's goals were achieved.
Setting out his opening terms for an immediate end to the war, Putin said in June that Ukraine must drop ambitions to join NATO and withdraw its troops from four Ukrainian regions claimed and mostly controlled by Russia. He has also said agreements rejected by Kyiv in early 2022 could form the basis of a deal.
Reuters reported last month that Putin is open to discussing a ceasefire deal with Trump but rules out any big territorial concessions.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said this week Kyiv wanted an end to the war and efforts were needed to make his country stronger and oblige the Kremlin to work towards peace. (Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Editorji News Desk and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Former Prime Minister Michel Barnier resigned last week following a no-confidence vote prompted by budget disputes in the National Assembly, leaving France without a functioning government.

President Emmanuel Macron names centrist ally Bayrou as France’s next Prime Minister

Former Prime Minister Michel Barnier resigned last week following a no-confidence vote prompted by budget disputes in the National Assembly, leaving France without a functioning government.

French President Emmanuel Macron on Friday named centrist ally Fran&ccedil;ois Bayrou as prime minister after a historic parliamentary vote ousted the previous government last week.
Bayrou, 73, a crucial partner in Macron&rsquo;s centrist alliance, has been a well-known figure in French politics for decades. His political experience is seen as key in efforts to restore stability as no single party holds a majority at the National Assembly.
Macron&rsquo;s office said in a statement that Bayrou &ldquo;has been charged with forming a new government.&rdquo;
Former Prime Minister Michel Barnier resigned last week following a no-confidence vote prompted by budget disputes in the National Assembly, leaving France without a functioning government.
Macron in an address to the nation vowed to remain in office until his term ends in 2027.
Macron&rsquo;s centrist alliance does not have a majority in parliament and Bayrou&rsquo;s Cabinet will need to rely on moderate lawmakers from the left and the right to be able to stay in power. Some conservatives are expected to be part of the new government.
Macron&rsquo;s strategy aims to prevent far-right leader Marine Le Pen from holding &ldquo;make or break&rdquo; power over the government. Le Pen helped oust Barnier by joining her National Rally party&rsquo;s forces to the left to pass the no-confidence motion last week.
Bayrou&rsquo;s appointment is also in line with Macron&rsquo;s efforts to build a non-aggression pact with the Socialists so that they commit not to vote against the government in any future confidence motion.
Bayrou leads the centrist Democratic Movement, known as MoDem, which he founded in 2007.
In 2017, he supported Macron&rsquo;s first presidential bid and became a weighty partner in the French president&rsquo;s centrist alliance.
At the time, he was appointed justice minister, but he quickly resigned from the government amid an investigation into the MoDem&rsquo;s alleged embezzlement of European Parliament funds.
Bayrou this year was cleared in the case by a Paris court, which found eight other party officials guilty and sentenced the party to pay a fine.
Bayrou became well known to the French public when he was education minister from 1993 to 1997 in a conservative government.
He was three times a candidate for president, in 2002, 2007 and 2012. (Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Editorji News Desk and is published from a syndicated feed.)

The development comes days after authorities booked 150 suspects and arrested 22 of them, mostly belonging to Khan's party, for allegedly propagating against the army on social media on the killings of the party workers in Islamabad on November 26.

Dozens of journalists, vloggers booked in Pakistan for alleged false claims against army

The development comes days after authorities booked 150 suspects and arrested 22 of them, mostly belonging to Khan's party, for allegedly propagating against the army on social media on the killings of the party workers in Islamabad on November 26.

Pakistan government on Friday booked dozens of journalists and vloggers, including the first Pakistani Sikh TV anchor, for allegedly propagating false claims against the army in connection with the deaths of supporters of jailed former prime minister Imran Khan.
The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) alleged that the journalists and vloggers fanned provincialism, supported the ongoing campaign to boycott army products and raised questions on the alleged killings of Khan's supporters during the November 26 protests.
The development comes days after authorities booked 150 suspects and arrested 22 of them, mostly belonging to Khan's party, for allegedly propagating against the army on social media on the killings of the party workers in Islamabad on November 26.
&ldquo;Cases have been registered under different sections of Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) against journalists and vloggers, including first Sikh journalist/anchor Harmeet Singh, Ahmad Noorani, Imran Khatana, Rizwan Ahmad Khan, Salman Durani, Hussain Rafique, Ahmad Malik, Azhar Tariq Khan, Asif Bashir, Saraj Ahmad, Muhammad Arshad and Abdul Qadir,&rdquo; a senior FIA officer told PTI.
Female vlogger Aroosa Nadim, Komal Afridi and Maryam Shafqat Malik have also been booked, he said.
These journalists and vloggers have been issued notices to join the investigation, he said, adding, &ldquo;Those who do not join the investigation will be arrested.&rdquo;
Police from the Punjab province also arrested two social media activists from Rawalpindi and Muzaffarghar for urging, through Facebook accounts, to boycott products of the army welfare institutions.
According to the PTI, at least 12 party workers were killed and hundreds wounded when law enforcers opened fire on the protesters in Islamabad on November 26.
More than 10,000 protesters marched towards Islamabad's D-Chowk on November 26, defying a ban on public gatherings and a lockdown. As Khan's supporters inched towards the heavily barricaded venue, police and security forces used intense teargas shelling to disperse the protesters.
On Friday, the party termed it an &ldquo;Islamabad massacre&rdquo; and issued the list of those killed, injured and missing. It said 139 PTI workers have been missing since then.
The Shehbaz Sharif government had earlier denied that the law enforcers opened fire on the protesters and pledged to take strict action against those propagating on social media in this regard.
The government had formed a special task force headed by the FIA chief to nab such elements.
Meanwhile, Amnesty International has also demanded a transparent investigation of what it called the state&rsquo;s &ldquo;deadly crackdown&rdquo; to disperse PTI supporters from Islamabad&rsquo;s D-Chowk.
Condemning the violence, Amnesty said: &ldquo;Yet again, protesters in Pakistan have faced a brutal and lethal crackdown shrouded in a callous opacity by the authorities. Urgent and transparent investigation is needed into the deadly crackdown on protesters.&rdquo;
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Editorji News Desk and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Following the massive natural disaster, a level 4 alert has been declared in Turkey, urging other countries to send in aid. 

Second 7.8 magnitude earthquake jolts Turkey; death toll crosses 1300

New quake with 7.8 magnitude earthquake jolts Turkey: AFP Over all death toll crosses 1300
Rescue operations on, hundreds feared trapped

New quake with 7.8 magnitude jolts Turkey: AFP

Following the massive natural disaster, a level 4 alert has been declared in Turkey, urging other countries to send in aid.&nbsp;

A massive second 7.5 magnitude earthquake hit Turkey on Monday afternoon, according to the US Geological Survey. The second quake came hours after an earlier quake claimed over 1300 lives in the region.
The shallow quake hit at 1:24 pm (1024 GMT) four kilometres (2.5 miles) south-southeast of the town of Ekinozu.
Following the massive natural disaster, a level 4 alert has been declared in Turkey, urging other countries to send in aid. India has decided to send NDRF teams and sniffer dogs as aid to help in rescue and search operations. The decision was made at a high-level meeting at the PMO.&nbsp;
&nbsp;

New Zealand tipped into recession in the third quarter, official data showed Thursday, with the economy suffering an unexpectedly sharp slump that sent the country's currency tumbling and sparked political finger-pointing.

New Zealand enters recession with sharp GDP decline

The economy has for months teetered on the verge of recession, with consumer sentiment weighed by high prices, elevated borrowing costs and a housing crisis.

New Zealand tipped into recession in the third quarter, official data showed Thursday, with the economy suffering an unexpectedly sharp slump that sent the country's currency tumbling and sparked political finger-pointing.
The conservative coalition government defended its "respect for taxpayers' money" as the opposition accused it of feeding a "recessionary fire".
The economy has for months teetered on the verge of recession, with consumer sentiment weighed by high prices, elevated borrowing costs and a housing crisis.
But the latest figures showed gross domestic product fell a bigger-than-expected 1.0 percent July-September from the previous three months. Analysts had forecast a contraction of 0.2 percent.
That marked the second quarterly contraction in a row, after shrinking a revised 1.1 percent in April-June.
"Yes, the one percent decline in activity is huge. And it's much weaker than anyone had anticipated," said a report by Kiwibank economics.
Excluding an economic decline during the Covid-19 pandemic, the New Zealand economy had posted the weakest six-month period since 1991, it said.
"And weakness is spreading across most industries," the report said.
However, the recent drop was partly balanced out by a statistical revision of growth upwards earlier in the year, Kiwibank said.
And the latest quarter may be the last in the cycle of decline, it said, with a one percent cut in interest rates over the quarter likely to provide relief going forward.
The New Zealand dollar was trading in the late afternoon at US$0.5626 -- down about 1.8 percent from the previous day -- as the scale of the slump took traders by surprise.
"The latest economic figures highlight the importance of the steps the government has taken to restore respect for taxpayers money and drive economic growth," the government said in a statement.
Finance Minister Nicola Willis said the economy had now contracted for eight quarters on a per-capita basis.
"The decline reflects the impact of high inflation on the economy. That led the Reserve Bank to engineer a recession which has stifled growth," she said.
But she predicted the economy would pick up in the next quarter, and grow more strongly in 2025.
The opposition Labour Party said the recession was of the finance minister's making.
"Nicola Willis' cuts and austerity has fed the recessionary fire," said Labour finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds. "There's no creative accounting that Nicola can do to make these GDP figures better."

Russia Wednesday expanded an operation to clean up thousands of tonnes of oil that spilt into the sea and contaminated 50 kilometres of beaches after tanker ships were wrecked in a storm.

Russian oil spill contaminates 50km of Black Sea beaches

The two tankers were carrying around 9,000 tonnes of oil and satellite monitoring suggests around 3,000 were spilt, TASS state news agency reported.

Russia Wednesday expanded an operation to clean up thousands of tonnes of oil that spilt into the sea and contaminated 50 kilometres of beaches after tanker ships were wrecked in a storm.
An ageing Russian oil tanker broke up and sank and another ran aground Sunday in a strait linking the Azov and Black Seas, between Moscow-annexed Crimea and southern Russia's Krasnodar region, known for its beach resorts.
Russia's emergencies ministry said Wednesday it was working on cleaning up 49 kilometres (30 miles) of beaches from the resort of Anapa north to the port of Temryuk, and patrolling a total of 70km of beaches.
The two tankers were carrying around 9,000 tonnes of oil and satellite monitoring suggests around 3,000 were spilt, TASS state news agency reported.
Satellite images showed that oil is still leaking out of the sunk tanker, TASS reported Wednesday, citing Crimean marine researcher Sergei Stanichny, with strong winds pushing the oil towards southern Russia's beaches.
The beach resort of Anapa, with a population of around 90,000 people, on Tuesday declared an state of emergency.
The number of volunteers and emergency workers "has increased to 2,700", the emergency situations ministry said Wednesday.
They were shovelling up black oil from beaches and removing it in plastic sacks and digger trucks.
It said they had collected about 80 tonnes of oil and cleaned up more than eight kilometres (five miles) of beach.
Among those taking part were around 400 Cossacks, a people living in the steppes of Russia and Ukraine, Anapa's mayor's office said.
Volunteers in the city were working to remove oil from birds at a rescue point, TASS reported.
Foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova appealed for volunteers on her Telegram channel, saying "Anapa is battling the oil spill and trying to save beaches. Those famous beaches with golden sand that hundreds of thousands tourists flock to each year".

NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Barry "Butch" Wilmore are experiencing further delays in their return from the International Space Station (ISS). 

NASA delays Sunita Williams' return to earth

Originally expected to return in February 2025, their return has now been postponed to late March or early April 2025.

NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Barry "Butch" Wilmore are experiencing further delays in their return from the International Space Station (ISS). Originally scheduled for a brief mission, their stay has now been extended to nearly 10 months, with their return pushed back to Spring 2025.
&nbsp;
Initial Mission Plans and Setbacks
Williams and Wilmore launched aboard Boeing's Starliner on June 5, 2024, as part of its first crewed flight under NASA's Commercial Crew Program. The mission, initially intended to last just one week, aimed to evaluate the Starliner's performance in launch, docking, and landing phases. However, technical issues with the spacecraft forced an early return of the capsule to Earth&mdash;without the astronauts onboard&mdash;leading to significant delays in their planned journey back. 
Challenges with Return Timelines
Originally expected to return in February 2025, their return has now been postponed to late March or early April 2025. The delay arises from additional time required by SpaceX to prepare a new Crew Dragon capsule to accommodate the astronauts. NASA explored alternate options, including using a different SpaceX capsule, but ultimately decided to extend their stay until the new capsule is ready for launch.
&nbsp;
SpaceX Steps in to Provide a Solution
After deeming Boeing&rsquo;s Starliner unsuitable for the astronauts' return due to persistent malfunctions and safety concerns, NASA partnered with SpaceX to adjust its Crew-9 mission. SpaceX's Crew Dragon capsule will now bring Williams and Wilmore back to Earth, underscoring its pivotal role in NASA's current operations.
&nbsp;
Significance of Starliner&rsquo;s Mission Despite the setbacks, the Starliner mission marked a critical milestone as Boeing's first crewed flight. This mission was essential for NASA to evaluate the spacecraft's readiness for future crewed missions to the ISS. While the technical issues delayed its certification process, the mission provided valuable insights into its performance.
As NASA and its commercial partners address these challenges, Williams and Wilmore continue their extended tenure aboard the ISS, contributing to ongoing research and maintenance activities. Their eventual return aboard SpaceX's Crew Dragon is anticipated as a step toward resolving these operational hurdles.

The recovery of the Starlink-like device has also prompted agencies to investigate how the equipment found its way to the strife-torn state, officials had said.

'Satellite beams turned off over India': Musk rejects claim of Starlink misuse in Manipur

The recovery of the Starlink-like device has also prompted agencies to investigate how the equipment found its way to the strife-torn state, officials had said.

SpaceX founder Elon Musk said Starlink satellite beams were turned off over India, reacting to claims that its device was being used in restive Manipur.
The security forces recently seized some internet devices along with arms and ammunition during a raid in Keirao Khunou in Imphal East district.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Acting on specific intelligence, troops of <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IndianArmy?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IndianArmy</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AssamRifles?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AssamRifles</a> formations under <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SpearCorps?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SpearCorps</a> carried out joint search operations in the hill and valley regions in the districts of Churachandpur, Chandel, Imphal East and Kagpokpi in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Manipur?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Manipur</a>, in close coordination with&hellip; <a href="https://t.co/kxy7ec5YAE">pic.twitter.com/kxy7ec5YAE</a>
&mdash; SpearCorps.IndianArmy (@Spearcorps) <a href="https://twitter.com/Spearcorps/status/1868653384221225085?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 16, 2024</a></blockquote>
The Spear Corps of the Indian Army had shared photos of the items seized on X, and social media users were quick to note that one of the devices had a "Starlink logo" on it.
Pointing to it, an X user posted, "@Starlink is being used by terrorists. Hope, Elon @elonmusk looks into it and helps control misuse of this technology."
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
This is false. Starlink satellite beams are turned off over India.
&mdash; Elon Musk (@elonmusk) <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1869033627335672237?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 17, 2024</a></blockquote>
Musk replied, "This is false. Starlink satellite beams are turned off over India."
&nbsp;
Among the items seized from Keirao Khunou were "one internet Satellite Antenna, one internet Satellite Router and 20 meters (approx.) of FTP cables", according to the state police.
The recovery of the Starlink-like device has also prompted agencies to investigate how the equipment found its way to the strife-torn state, officials had said.
Musk's Starlink, which provides satellite internet services, does not have a licence to operate in India.
More than 250 people have been killed and thousands rendered homeless in ethnic violence between Meiteis and Kuki-Zo groups in Manipur since May last year.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Editorji News Desk and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Gaza's civil defence agency said Israeli strikes Monday across the territory killed at least 12 people, the majority displaced Palestinians taking shelter in a house in the north.

Gaza rescuers say Israeli strikes kill at least 12 Palestinians

More than 14 months into the Israel-Hamas war, the violence continued even as the United States expressed "cautious optimism" about the prospects of reaching a ceasefire in Gaza.

Gaza's civil defence agency said Israeli strikes Monday across the territory killed at least 12 people, the majority displaced Palestinians taking shelter in a house in the north.
More than 14 months into the Israel-Hamas war, the violence continued even as the United States expressed "cautious optimism" about the prospects of reaching a ceasefire in Gaza.
Civil defence spokesman Mahmud Bassal told AFP that 10 Palestinians were killed when an Israeli strike at dawn hit a house in northern Gaza's Beit Lahia, where several displaced families had sought refuge.
Bassal said a child was killed and several others wounded in a separate strike that hit a house in nearby Jabalia, where Israeli forces have focused their operations in recent months.
Overnight, a tent in an Israeli-designated safe zone in the southern Gaza Strip was hit, killing one Palestinian, according to the civil defence spokesman.
Parties to long-stalled ceasefire talks said a deal could be secured soon to halt the fighting and release hostages held in Gaza.
US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said on Tuesday that "cautious optimism is a fair way to characterise it, though very much tempered by realism".
Hamas said the current talks were "serious and positive", while Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz described the two sides as closer to a deal than ever before.
The war was sparked by an unprecedented Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, which resulted in the deaths of 1,208 people, most of them civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official Israeli figures.
Israel's retaliatory offensive in Gaza has killed at least 45,059 people, a majority of them civilians, according to figures from the Hamas-run territory's health ministry that the United Nations considers reliable.

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